Annie's Sanity
by GirlInThatDress
Summary: "I just wish..." Finnick hesitated. "That people would realize that I'm human. That I'm not just some sex symbol." A one-shot about Annie at Finnick's funeral.


Annie stared out at the crowd of people assembled before her. More than half of District 4's population had come today for the funeral for Finnick Odair. Most of them knew him as the sex symbol and victor of the 65th Hunger Games. But only a few of them knew them like she did.

Only a few of the knew the man behind the flirty smiles and remarks. Most of them didn't know how Finnick was the only one that could calm Annie down whenever she had one of her 'episodes'. How he'd pull her into his arms and whisper reassuring words into her ear until she calmed down. How much he hated cheating on Annie whenever he had to go to the Capitol when he had new 'clients.'

Several of the other victors were here, too. Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Haymitch Abernathy, Beetee and Johanna Mason. A few others had wanted to come, but Annie had turned them down. She only wanted people that actually _knew _Finnick here.

It had been Johanna's idea to have Annie speak. "The funeral is going to be filmed and broadcasted in TV's all over Panem." she had told Annie. "If you give a speech, maybe they'd get to know Finnick more... Maybe they'll realize he's not just a sex symbol from the fishing district."

And there Annie was, gripping onto the table next to her for support. She was so close to breaking down in tears, but she couldn't. She had to do this. For Finnick.

"Finnick is... _was _the reason why I'm still alive." she began. "He mentored me before my Games. At first, I didn't like him. Didn't trust him. He seemed so arrogant and self-centered. I always thought that he liked going from woman to woman. I thought he liked being the Capitol's most popular man. But I realized... he was forced into it by Snow."

"He told me that himself. How he refused, saying that he didn't want to be a prostitute. But then his father drowned while he was out swimming in the sea one day. It couldn't be a coincidence. And so, because he still had his younger sister to think of, he agreed. And that's when I realized that he hated doing it. I'd never seen him look so... broken."

Annie remembered that night, a few nights before her Games, when Finnick had told her his story. She remembered the haunted look in his eyes, how he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. She could see his secret hatred for the President. She bit her lip and forced herself to continue. "We became friends, I guess. The night before my Games, I asked him why he was so keen on keeping me alive. He admitted he didn't want another victor from District 4, he said he wanted _me _to win. And I did. When people thought I'd 'gone mad'..." she lowered her gaze. "I guess I did. But Finnick was always there to comfort me. Always telling me that it was okay, that he was there. He could have had any women in the whole of Panem, but he still chose me. I don't know why."

She lifted her eyes. "I know most of you only think of me as the crazy girl that lost her mind during her Games. Maybe you think everything I'm saying is just some sort of hallucination. Well, think what you want. I think Finnick would have wanted me to be here today, to tell you all this." A memory surfaced in her mind. Her and Finnick, on the beach. It was the day after he'd returned from one of his 'trips' to the Capitol.

"_I just wish..." Finnick hesitated. "That people would realize that I'm human. That I'm not just some sex symbol."_

"_You mean you wish people knew what happened to you, what made you like this?" "I guess so. Maybe one day, when I'm dead... someone can tell them. I don't know."_

A lump formed in her throat. Suddenly, she just wished she was in Finnick's arms again. She missed how he used to ruffle her hair and give her one of his famous smirks. How he used to bring her along to the beach at night. How she'd fall asleep with his arms around her, enveloped in his warmth. He made her feel safe. He was like family to her.

Annie took a shaky breath, trying not to let the tears escape. "Thank you." she managed, before she stepped of the platform and made her way back into the crowd. District 4 broke out into applause. She saw a lot of them had tears in their eyes. She didn't understand why, though. They didn't know Finnick. Not in the way she had.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up to find Johanna Mason looking at her with pity. "I'm sorry, Annie." she said softly.

Annie could only nod numbly. People kept trying to talk to her, giving her reassuring hugs. Saying that Finnick wouldn't have wanted her to be sad.

But it wouldn't change a thing.

Suddenly, she collapsed to the ground and buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Pairs of hands encircled her shoulder as they tried to reassure her. Telling her it'd be okay. But right now, the only pair of hands she wanted around her was Finnick's.

And that wasn't going to be happening anymore, would it?

Finnick was gone. And so was Annie's sanity.

**A/N: That was my first Hunger Games fanfiction. Did you like it? Hate it? PLEASE REVIEW!**


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